1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved material spreading apparatus to be used in conjunction with articulating dump boxes. The apparatus is designed to facilitate a gasoline powered motor that is kept level during articulation through the use of a pivotting connection and an attached levelling system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Material spreading apparatus is used for numerous applications such as road maintenance which requires the even spreading of salt or sand on the surface of roadways. Other applications include landscaping and agriculture which may require a consistent layering of mulch, moss or fertilizer. All of these types of materials can be effectively applied with the use of a spreading apparatus.
In the past, spreading apparatus have been attached to the rear of vehicles and powered by means of several sources. Often pickup trucks equipped with articulating dump boxes are used as the vehicle to which the apparatus is attached, while in higher volume applications the spreading apparatus may be attached to dump trucks.
Quite often, these units are powered using hydraulics. This is necessary as the operating components of spreading apparatus must remain functional at angles of 10-50 degrees or more. Hydraulic operation is generally not effected by such conditions. Gas-powered motors, on the other hand, can run well at slight deviations from horizontal up to approximately 10 degrees, but cannot operate in the extreme conditions described without extensive modifications, if at all.
Consequently, a typical spreading apparatus is powered by hydraulics and requires the installation of hydraulic pump(s) driven by the vehicle's primary engine. Hydraulic lines leading from the pump(s) to corresponding hydraulic motors on the spreading apparatus are then attached. Numerous hydraulic lines are usually required to facilitate both a spinner and the generally required auger.
Valve and control means must also be provided to allow user control from the driver's area of the vehicle. As these units are hydraulic, the flow rates will vary with primary engine speed. Thus the control means for spinner and auger speed vary with the speed of the vehicle requiring continual adjustment during normal vehicle operation.
As a result, these hydraulic solutions are very expensive due to the number of hydraulic components employed and extensive retrofitting required.
Attaching or removing all these components at the start or end of the winter season is difficult, expensive and time consuming. Often times therefore, the equipment remains installed year round, reducing the functionality of the vehicle for other purposes.
Another type of known spreading apparatus is powered by electric motors. These motors require large amounts of electrical energy due to the necessary power requirements of the spinner and auger. This presents a problem to the host vehicle, in that the factory installed alternator is not usually capable of supplying the energy requirements. This may entail the modification of the vehicle's electrical system by means of enlargement of the alternator and result in significant expense. The high torque motors required are also very expensive.
A hybrid solution of hydraulics to run the higher powered auger and an electrical drive means to run the spinner is also possible.
In the past, conventional spreading apparatus for use with articulating dump boxes have generally not utilized direct drive gasoline powered motors. Inherent inefficiencies occur in gasoline powered motors when they are tilted past a critical angle, and in many cases severe tilting prevents proper operation at all. This has previously prevented the use of such drive means in articulating applications.